A while back I posted about my epic pie fail in trying to “veganize” lemon chess pie. I’m happy to report that although I didn’t make it vegan, I was successful in making a dairy-free version that tastes identical to the original. Baby steps, right? I still plan on making a vegan version someday, but for now I’ll take whatever success I can get!
I make a pie very similar to this one at work and as tempted as I am to try a piece, the recipe calls for milk and a ton of butter- which is a no-go for me and my lactose intolerance. Replacing dairy in recipes has become almost second nature to me, but in baking I still sometimes run into trouble with proportions. I really think that’s where I went wrong before. Too much liquid obviously means a soggy pie. Conversely, not adding enough ice water to a crust will make for a very crumbly, hard to manage mess. Whew! So much to think about! Before I share the recipe I’ll let my geek flag fly and share a little history on chess pie.
Though chess pie is famous here in the Southern United States, the pie actually originated in England. The name “chess” is actually thought to be an Americanization of the word “cheese” since it sort of resembles a cheese-less version of an English lemon curd pie. Actually there are a few theories on the name. Another one is that the word “chess” came from the word “chest” as in “chest pie.” The explanation for this was that there was so much sugar in this particular type of pie that it didn’t require refrigeration and could be kept in a pie chest. They’re not kidding about the high sugar content either! One pie generally had between one to two cups of sugar in it! Definitely not the healthiest pie, but oh so good! Chess pies have a consistency similar to custard pies, but with a little more “substance” to them. There are many different flavor varieties such as buttermilk, vanilla, lemon, and chocolate, and some are even made with vinegar to counteract the sweetness.
For this recipe I used fresh lemons and their zest, and have substituted the butter with Earth Balance buttery spread, and the milk with almond milk. If you prefer, any other milk substitute will work but I like the hint of sweetness you get with almond milk. As for the crust, you can use a premade pie shell from the store or make your own. If dairy is a concern for you make sure to read ingredient labels, as not all pie shells are dairy free.
Here’s the recipe:
For the crust:
(based on a recipe from the kitchenaid’s Baking Basics cookbook)- makes one 8 inch pie crust
1 cups + 2 Tablespoons unbleached all purpose flour
pinch of sea salt
1/4 cup + t tablespoon vegetable shortening
3 Tablespoons ice cold water
Parchment paper
Pie weights, or dried beans
8 inch pie dish
fork
1. In a large bowl, mix the flour and salt until well combined.
2. Cut the shortening into bits and add to the flour and salt mixture. Use a pastry blender or two knives in scissor-fashion to cut the shortening into the flour until it’s crumbly.
3. Add the ice water, a tablespoon at a time, and blend with your fingers until a soft dough forms. Shape the dough into a ball and chill for a half hour in the fridge.
4. On a lightly floured surface or pastry cloth, roll the dough into a circle, 1/8 of an inch thick. Carefully lift the dough- you can lightly fold it into fourths or drape it over your rolling pin- and place it into the pie dish.
5. press the dough into the pan with your fingers and trim the excess dough from the sides so you have a one inch overhang. Fold that extra inch of dough under itself and use a fork or your fingers to make a decorative edge.
6. To make this pie you have to blind-bake the crust first to keep the bottom from getting soggy. To do this, first preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Use a fork to prick holes in the bottom of the crust and line the crust with parchment paper. Place the pie weights or dried beans on the parchment and bake for about ten minutes. Set it aside to cool for a few minutes before attempting to remove the pie weights or beans.
For the pie filling:
2 cups granulated sugar
2 Tablespoons cornmeal
1 Tablespoon unbleached all purpose flour
Juice and zest of two lemons (about 1/4 cup)
1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
2 tablespoons melted Earth Balance
4 eggs
1. In a large bowl, combine sugar, cornmeal, lemon zest, and flour, and mix well.
2. Add the almond milk and the lemon juice and mix well.
3. Add the melted Earth Balance, and mix well.
4. In a small bowl beat the eggs slightly, then add to the rest of the pie mixture, mixing just enough to incorporate the eggs. Don’t overbeat or you will ruin the pie! Pur into the prepared pie crust.
5. Lower your oven to 325 degrees and bake the pie for about 40 minutes until browned and the center is just set. The pie may crack a little and jiggle slightly, which is normal. Serve warm.
Sources:
http://whatscookingamerica.net/History/PieHistory/ChessPie.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chess_pie
